HGF/c-MET Signaling in Melanocytes and Melanoma

M Czyz - International journal of molecular sciences, 2018 - mdpi.com
M Czyz
International journal of molecular sciences, 2018mdpi.com
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) signaling
is involved in complex cellular programs that are important for embryonic development and
tissue regeneration, but its activity is also utilized by cancer cells during tumor progression.
HGF and c-MET usually mediate heterotypic cell–cell interactions, such as epithelial–
mesenchymal, including tumor–stroma interactions. In the skin, dermal fibroblasts are the
main source of HGF. The presence of c-MET on keratinocytes is crucial for wound healing in …
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/ mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) signaling is involved in complex cellular programs that are important for embryonic development and tissue regeneration, but its activity is also utilized by cancer cells during tumor progression. HGF and c-MET usually mediate heterotypic cell–cell interactions, such as epithelial–mesenchymal, including tumor–stroma interactions. In the skin, dermal fibroblasts are the main source of HGF. The presence of c-MET on keratinocytes is crucial for wound healing in the skin. HGF is not released by normal melanocytes, but as melanocytes express c-MET, they are receptive to HGF, which protects them from apoptosis and stimulates their proliferation and motility. Dissimilar to melanocytes, melanoma cells not only express c-MET, but also release HGF, thus activating c-MET in an autocrine manner. Stimulation of the HGF/c-MET pathways contributes to several processes that are crucial for melanoma development, such as proliferation, survival, motility, and invasiveness, including distant metastatic niche formation. HGF might be a factor in the innate and acquired resistance of melanoma to oncoprotein-targeted drugs. It is not entirely clear whether elevated serum HGF level is associated with low progression-free survival and overall survival after treatment with targeted therapies. This review focuses on the role of HGF/c-MET signaling in melanoma with some introductory information on its function in skin and melanocytes.
MDPI